Half of a Yellow Sun (film)

Half of a Yellow Sun

Theatrical poster
Directed by Biyi Bandele
Produced by Andrea Calderwood
Gail Egan
Screenplay by Biyi Bandele
Based on Half of a Yellow Sun
by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor
Thandie Newton
Onyeka Onwenu
Anika Noni Rose
Genevieve Nnaji
OC Ukeje
John Boyega
Music by Ben Onono
Paul Thomson
Cinematography John de Borman
Edited by Chris Gill
Production
company
  • Shareman Media
  • Slate Films
Distributed by Metro International
Leap Frog Films
FilmOne Distribution
Monterey Media Inc.[1]
Release dates
  • 8 September 2013 (2013-09-08) (TIFF)
  • 11 April 2014 (2014-04-11) (United Kingdom)
  • 12 April 2014 (2014-04-12) (Lagos premiere)
  • 1 August 2014 (2014-08-01) (Nigeria)
Running time
 111 minutes
Country Nigeria
United Kingdom
Language English
Budget ₦1.3[2] - 1.6 billion
(US$8[3] - 10 million[4])
Box office ₦340 million[5][6]
(US$2.1 million)

Half of a Yellow Sun is a 2013 Nigerian Historical fiction drama film directed by Biyi Bandele and based on the novel of the same name by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The film is a love story that follows two sisters who are caught up in the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War.

It stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Onyeka Onwenu, Anika Noni Rose, Genevieve Nnaji, OC Ukeje and John Boyega.[7] The film premiered in the Special Presentation section at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.[8]

Plot

During the mid-to-late sixties, twin sisters Olanna (Thandie Newton) and Kainene (Anika Noni Rose) return to Nigeria after their education in England, they make decisions that shock their family. Olanna moves in with her lover, the ‘revolutionary professor’ Odenigbo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his houseboy Ugwu (John Boyega) while Kainene takes over the family interests and pursues a career as a businesswoman, falling in love with Richard (Joseph Mawle), an English writer. As the Igbo people struggle to establish Biafra as an independent republic, the sisters become caught up in the shocking violence of the Nigerian Civil War and a betrayal that threatens their family forever.

Cast

Production

Half of a Yellow Sun was shot across five weeks in Tinapa Studio, Calabar and Creek Town, Nigeria.[9] Bandele lists malaria and typhoid as one of the major challenges of the shoot, with several members of the cast and crew becoming ill, including star Thandie Newton.[10]

Adaptation

Adichie was happy about the final product of the film as she thinks It’s beautiful and very well done, She also says the acting is very good and she loves the fact that it was filmed in Nigeria which was her only requirement.[11]

Music inspired by the film

In February 2014, it was announced that D'banj would release a track titled "Bother You", a song inspired by the film, to coincide with the release of the film. D'banj was inspired to record "Bother You" after watching the film. The music video for the song includes images from the film.[12]

Critical reception

Half of a Yellow Sun received mixed reception from critics. It currently has a 52% aggregate rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a 5.6 out of 10 average score, consensus states "While it doesn't quite do justice to the source material, Half of a Yellow Sun adapts Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel with committed performances and narrative nuance".[13] Leslie Felperin of The Hollywood Reporter writes that it "is the kind of ambitious literary adaptation that wants it all kinds of ways, not all of them compatible" and "the script is studded with great leaden lumps of expository dialogue".[14] Nollywood Reinvented says the film is no where as good as the book, but points out that "Even though the movie does not recreate the emotions of the book it creates its own emotions". It also says "The movie builds on amazing sets, actors, supporting actors and music", but the characters lack depth.[15] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave a 2 out of 5 stars and also commented that "there is a heartfelt quality" but "unfortunately, the film is often stately and sluggish with some very daytime-soapy moments of emotional revelation. At other times, it looks more like a filmed theatrical piece".[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Monterey Media Acquires TIFF Dramas 'Half Of A Yellow Sun' & 'Cinemanovels'". deadline.com. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Half Of A Yellow Sun Confirmed as Nollywood's Most Expensive Movie". Naij News. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  3. ↑ Tlhabi, Redi (4 May 2013). "South2North : Welcome to Nollywood". Al Jazeera. YouTube (Al Jazeera English). Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "Nigeria's Nollywood Reaches Mainstream with 'Half of a Yellow Sun'". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "HALF OF A YELLOW SUN GROSS N280 MILLION...IN NIGERIAN CINEMAS AUGUST 1". This Day Newspaper. This Day Live. 20 July 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "30 Days In Atlanta is Nigeria's highest grossing film –Ben Murray-Bruce". Sun News Online. 28 December 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "Half of a Yellow Sun: London Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 2013-10-11. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  8. ↑ "Half of a Yellow Sun". TIFF. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  9. ↑ "half of a yellow sun everywhere... stuns toronto, premiers at affriff". Lagos, Nigeria: This day Live. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
  10. ↑ "'Half of a Yellow Sun' shines bright on future of Nigerian film - CNN.com". Edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  11. ↑ Bah, Sidique. "Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Salt MagazineSalt Magazine". Saltmagazine.org. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  12. ↑ "D'Banj unveils movie-inspired 'Bother You' music video - watch - Music News". Digital Spy. 2014-02-17. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  13. ↑ "Half of a Yellow Sun - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  14. ↑ "Half of a Yellow Sun: London Review". The Hollywood Reporter. 2013-10-11. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
  15. ↑ "Half of a Yellow Sun - Nollywood Reinvented". Nollywood Reinvented. Nollywood Reinvented. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
  16. ↑ "Half of a Yellow Sun Review". The Guardian. 2014-04-10. Retrieved 2014-04-12.

External links

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